First Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone goes on sale

Microsoft may have announced Windows Phone 8.1 early last month, but the first smartphone running the latest tiled operating system only just went on sale. The entry-level Nokia Lumia 630 is now available in Asian markets, with Europe to follow next week.

The first Windows Phone 8.1 device to hit store shelves costs around €119 before any taxes and mobile operator subsidies are applied. Expect to shell out €10 more (€129) for the dual-SIM version. For the money you get a decently-specified smartphone, with a 4.5-inch display.

The usual Nokia-branded software (and access to the exclusive app store collection in Windows Phone Store) is included. That means users will be able to enjoy apps like HERE Drive+, HERE Maps, Nokia Camera, Nokia Refocus or Nokia Creative Studio, as well as other offerings tailored for Lumia devices.

Based on price, in Europe, the Lumia 630 will go up against the newly-unveiled Motorola Moto E, which offers comparable specifications but runs Android 4.4 KitKat. The latter costs £90, which equates to about €110 (but that price includes VAT). The better-specified Moto G runs for €199, after local taxes are applied, for the top 16GB, non-4G LTE, trim.